Maynooth University Digital Library was established in 2023 and provides access to the special collections and archives of Maynooth University, St Patrick’s University Pontifical University and the Russell Library. We will be continuously adding more digitised material to our Digital Library and aim to showcase a wide range of remarkable and interesting material that will be of significant importance to our users. The majority of our digital library material has been digitised in-house using our sophisticated scanning equipment. We also take reprographic requests, please contact library.specialcollections@mu.ie
Maynooth University Library is a key part of both the Maynooth University and St Patrick’s Pontifical University Maynooth. The Library was founded in 1795 and is now housed in the John Paul II Library and the Russell Library. We can help you make the most of your time working and studying in Maynooth. We have over 450,000 books/ebooks and more than 42,000 electronic journals. Please see LibrarySearch for more information. We provide a wide range of information skills and training courses to enable you to identify, obtain and use information efficiently, effectively and ethically. You can contact us in person, by email, phone and you can keep up to date with new developments and activities by following the Library on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and the MU Library Treasures Blog.
The Russell Library houses the historical collections of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth which was founded in 1795 as a seminary for the education of Irish priests. The reading room was designed by renowned British architect and designer Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852) and completed in the year 1861. The Russell Library contains approximately 34,000 printed works dating from the 16th to the mid-19th century across a range of subjects including: theology, mathematics, science, geography and history. Other important collections include: medieval and Gaelic manuscripts, archival material and incunabula (pre-1501 printing).
Maynooth University is an internationally recognised institution located 25 kilometres outside of Dublin, Ireland, and is the nation’s fastest growing university. One of four constituent universities of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth University in 2022 ranked # 1 in Ireland in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Best Young University Rankings. On 16 June 2022, Maynooth University celebrated its 25th birthday, having been formally established as an autonomous university in 1997. Yet, it traces its origins to the foundation of the Royal College of St. Patrick in 1795, drawing inspiration from a heritage that includes over 200 years of education and scholarship. Maynooth University is recognised among the top 600 universities in the world and in the top 250 European universities.
St Patrick’s Pontifical University opened its doors as an educational institution in 1795 as the National Seminary, becoming a Pontifical University in 1896. In the intervening two centuries, it has established for itself an impressive reputation for scholarship and learning. The Pontifical University and National Seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. Today, as a Pontifical University, the St Patrick's specializes in the study of theology and philosophy and related areas, in one of the most beautiful campuses in Ireland, and the support of Ireland's newest university, Maynooth University.